Extremism InFocus: Policy Briefs Series

Extremism InFocus: Policy Briefs Series

UNDP Tajikistan/Beyond Borders Media

The Extremism InFocus policy brief series will showcase how extremism is impacted by civil society, misogyny, climate security and covid-19 and more. Each of these spotlights will offer in-depth analysis from research experts in the field of PVE to uncover the nuances of PVE policymaking.

The Pandemic, Development and Violent Extremism

The world has rapidly changed since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time since 1990, human development markers are expected to recede, and inequality to rise. The pandemic has also been accompanied by what the UN Secretary-General has denounced as "a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scaremongering.” The effects on violent extremism are unknown, but further division and potential grievances towards government responses gives opportunities for violent extremist groups to regroup and capitalize on the effects of the pandemic.

The role of women: misogyny in violent extremist groups

Violent extremists devote much of their energy to controlling and limiting the lives of women. Misogyny lies at the heart of their endeavors being central to indoctrination, recruitment and ideology and yet it mostly escapes scrutiny. UNDP seeks to understand the overlapping ways in which misogyny is prevalent in violent extremist groups: from the far right to violent jihad.

Direct or indirect impact? How does climate security fit into violent extremism

How strong are the links between climate security and violent extremism? Despite contributing the least emissions, African regions such as the Central Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, Mozambique, and Somalia are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. This policy brief examines and questions the approaches on the relationship between climate security and how this interacts with the activities of violent extremist groups.

Shrinking spaces: how is violent extremism impacting civil society?

The rise and influence of increasingly more alt-government groups and militias that use violent and threatening tactics to expand their influence is evident in civil unrest and is magnified by social media platforms with global reach. These groups are increasingly diverse and seeking greater mobilization and more legitimate public and political spaces for their grievances. The impact of these movements is not only threating civic space but also destabilizing democracy.

When is conventional wisdom wise? Testing the assumptions that underpin Preventing Violent Extremism Policy 

While a growing body of research exists on the pathways people take to violent extremism, there has been no global quantitative study conducted investigating the most prominent factors assumed to drive support for violent extremism. Using comparative data from the World Values Survey 2020 this research investigates the link between factors such as employment, age, violence against women, religion and education on violent extremism. With these results, new evidence will be able to shine a light on those factors that are most significant for predicting support for violent extremism.

UNDP Oslo Governance Centre will host five live-streamed events in connection to the policy report launches. Stay tuned!